DEUTSCH DRAHTHAAR UK
The home of the Deutsch Drahthaar in the UK » Deutsch Drahthaar or German Wirehaired Pointer ?

A lot of people have asked for clarification of what the difference is between a Deutsch Drahthaar and a German Wirehaired Pointer in the UK. Some people believe they are the same thing, but the Verein Deutsch Drahthaar (VDD). the German Breed Club that controls the breed worldwide disagree, there is a simple guideline;

• An imported Deutsch Drahthaar can be registered as a German Wirehaired Pointer with the Kennel Club, its is the same breed as far as they are concerned.
• A true Deutsch Drahthaar can only be imported into the UK - a dog bred in the UK cannot be registered as a Deutsch Drahthaar with the VDD.
• A UK GWP exported overseas can be registered as a GWP or whatever the local registry call the breed but the VDD would not accept that dog for breeding purposes.

So why does this difference exist as the German Wirehaired Pointers in the UK are all descended a long, long way back in their pedigrees to true Deutsch Drahthaars. To find the answer to this we have to look at the breeding rules of the VDD and its groups around the world.

VDD Breeding Principles

Right from its formation, over 100 years ago, the VDD set out a clear goal for breeders of producing an exceptional versatile hunting dog - one with the coat, conformation, ability, drive and mental soundness for the job.

‘Durch Leistung zum Typ’ - ‘By performance to the standard’ is the motto of the VDD

Every Deutsch Drahthaar breed by an authorised VDD affiliate Group is registered with the Breed Book Office in Germany. This means that the breeder has agreed to conform to the typically Germanic regulation that is aimed at ensuring the breed’s ideals.

Every new puppy has its assigned registration number from the ‘Zuchtbuch’ tattooed in its right ear and is linked to its most essential document, called an ‘Ahnentafel’, which certifies ownership and is officially stamped with all major evaluations and certifications in the dog’s lifetime. This document must pass with the dog in every change of ownership and is essential to enter any test evaluation.

Unlike GWP’s in the UK Kennel Club System, a Deutsch Drahthaar needs to be certified to be eligible for breeding by the Breed Warden. The general criteria for certification includes:

• Pass the predator toughness evaluation (HN) - a test involving despatching a small rodent
• Has passed a minimum of one of breed test or association test (ie. VJP, HZP, VGP, VSwP, Hegewald etc.) with a minimum achievement of a ’sufficient’ in the categories of tracking and independent search in water through dense cover
• Has shown no gun sensitivity or game shyness in the field or water
• Has no eliminating faults from breeding:
1. Hereditary disease (e.g. Hip Dysplasia)
2. Mental deficiencies (gun shy or sensitive, game shy, hand shy, very nervous or fear biter)
3. Teeth problems (overbite, under bite, cross bite, narrow positioned fang teeth, missing teeth other than P1)
4. Entropian or ectropian of the eyelids
5. Insufficient scores on conformation or coat
6. Malformed or deficient sexual organs
7. Crook or naturally bobbed tail
8. Color anomalies (solid black, pure white or pure yellow, or yellow roan or dogs with light nose pigment)
9. Differing (odd) eye colors or glass eye
• Mating of a black (schwarzschimmel) Drahthaar to another black Drahthaar or to a solid liver Drahthaar is prohibited.

A dog that has met these requirements to be certified for breeding will have its Ahnentafel stamped by the Breed Warden, usually at an assessment when it completes all requirements.

Like in the UK, the VDD has rules regarding age and frequency of breeding, ie. brood bitches cannot be bred before 15 months of age or after their 8th birthday. Stud dogs can be used only six times within any given year and should not be bred after their 9th birthday. Specific permision is required to vary from this.

An Ahnentafel can be issued to puppies whose registered parents did not meet the breeding requirements but it will be stamped ‘Zuchtverbot’ (not permitted for breeding).

A system of fines exist for breeders who disobey the rules and ultimately they can be banned from breeding if they do not heed any warnings.

This is, obviously, completely different to the UK Kennel Club system. Their worst sanction is generally refusing to register a litter and there are very few requirements to meet their criteria.

So What about mating Drahthaars with German Wirehaired Pointers ?

Puppies from the mating of a Deutsch Drahthaar with a dog that is not registered with VDD (e.g., an UK Kennel Club registered German Wirehaired Pointer) cannot be registered with VDD at all and is frowned upon in countries where a VDD afilliated group exists.

While the dogs had the same ancestry, there is no guarantee that the characteristics valued in the Deutsch Drahthaar have been maintained as there is no policing of the rules that the breeders must follow.

The mating may well improve the performance and type of the German Wirehaired Pointers, but those offspring are effectively considered ‘outside the system’ and cannot be re-introduced.

In the UK this means that whilst we can benefit from imported Drahthaars in improving the German Wirehaired Pointer, until there is a VDD afilliated group in the UK controlling breeders and official association test regimes to test the working capabilities of the dogs we cannot have a true UK bred Deutsch Drahthaar.